Sabra overhauls packaging to tout freshness, bold flavors

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Sabra, which claims to control 60% of the U.S. hummus market, said in a statement that it is introducing a new package design which includes an updated logo, restyled label design and original on-pack photography that highlights the products’ fresh ingredients. The new packaging will appear at stores later this month.

The rebrand is heavily focused on bold designs on both the logo and packaging. The design includes five rays of the sun to represent Sabra’s five core values: openness, trust, passion, caring and daring.

"The refreshed design preserves the essence of Sabra's original look while more persuasively telling the story of what is within ... fresh ingredients, bold flavors and a food famous for its ability to foster connections," Julia Beardwood, owner of Beardwood&Co., a branding and design firm which worked with Sabra's in-house team on the new creative elements.

It’s not unusual for a brands to go through redesigns, but they typically do so when they’re trying to gain market share, launch a new line or recover from a crisis. Though Sabra took a hit two years ago with its recall tied to listeria, the company appears to have recovered. To be sure, Sabra’s 60% market share doesn’t necessarily scream desperate.

Perhaps this move means Sabra is ready to expand on its successful hummus line that started with its classic flavor, but has since branched out to trendy flavors such as olive tapenade, roasted garlic, roasted red pepper, roasted pine nut and spinach and artichoke. The next iteration of hummus seems to be pointing at breakfast options, potentially including maple, and dessert variations. Sabra might be positioning itself to expand into these occasions.

Still, it's more likely that Sabra needs to stand out in an increasingly crowded category in order to maintain its domination. There is a confluence of trends propelling the popularity of hummus, including snacking and its focus on healthy, gluten-free and simple ingredients.

Sabra is taking a page from Chobani, the largest U.S. yogurt brand, which underwent a redesign last year to help it stand out among its competitors in an increasingly crowded Greek yogurt space. In an attempt to grab consumer attention, Chobani embraced a unique design heavy on colors and unique fonts.